The seven crews which launched into the incredible challenge of the Ngalawa Cup had a hard time. 450 km along the African coasts aboard a pirogue hollowed out of a tree trunk by hand and balanced by two simple floats – often a simple plank – attached by branches and ties which seem at first glance to be only symbolic. The reality is that these ngalawa are boats designed to go fishing, not to race over several hundred miles on the open sea. Yet their simple construction means that they are easy to repair with materials which can be found absolutely everywhere! And there were lots of repairs to be carried out after all the dismastings and capsizes, and after having battled for hours against one of the currents trying to take them back to the starting point, whatever happened. But finally, the 12 and more-hour days on the water, suffering the sun and the very tough conditions, didn’t get the better of the crews, who dug deep into their reserves to reach their objective: crossing the finish line aboard their traditional boats.
The date for the start of the next Ngalawa Cup has been fixed as 27th June 2017. Excitement lovers, it’s up to you!
For more information: www.ngalawacup.com
The results:
1. Bayasgalant (Switzerland/Sri Lanka) 56:48:53
2. The Devil's Own (UK) 58:34:04
3. PappaChambo (US) 62:47:59
4. Knotty Ngalawas (US) 63:38:53
5. Gimme Dat Booty (Canada) 65:06:02
6. Ciun Cianiou (Italy) 69:51:56
DNF - Breaking Wind (South Africa)
